Top 50 The Irish Words and Phrases used in daily life
The Irish Words and Phrases – When you find yourself in the charming land of Ireland, don’t be surprised if the English spoken sounds like a linguistic dance of its own. While the roots of the language may be English, the Irish have skillfully woven a tapestry of slang phrases that add a distinctive flavor to their daily conversations.
From acting the maggot to throwing shapes, here’s a crash course on the top 50 most-used Irish slang phrases that will have you speaking like a seasoned pro in no time.
- Acting the Maggot
Meaning: An Irish term for fooling and messing around.
Example: Stop acting like the maggot.
- Bad Dose
Meaning: Severe illness.
Example: You got a bad dose of it, didn’t you?
- Bags (to make bags of something)
Meaning: To make a mess of doing something.
Example: He made the right bags of that.
- Bang On
Meaning: Right, accurate, correct.
Example: You are bang on.
- Banjaxed
Meaning: Broken.
Example: The chair is banjaxed.
- Black Stuff
Meaning: Guinness.
Example: A pint of the black stuff, please.
- Boyo
Meaning: Male, juvenile.
Example: Come on, you boy!
- Brutal
Meaning: Awful, dreadful.
Example: It was a brutal tackle.
- Bucketing Down
Meaning: Raining hard.
Example: It is bucketing down.
- Bunk Off
Meaning: Skip (school, work).
Example: Do you want to bunk off tomorrow?
- Chancer
Meaning: A lighthearted Irish insult for someone who takes a risk.
Example: He is a real chancer.
- Chiseler
Meaning: Young child (Dublin slang).
Example: He was a chiseler at the time.
- Ciotóg
Meaning: Left-handed.
Example: I am a Ciotóg and proud.
- Cod/Codding Ya
Meaning: To pull someone’s leg.
Example: I am only codding ya!
- Craic is probably the most famous Irish slang word!
Meaning: Fun, gossip, goings-on. One of the most well-known Irish phrases.
Example: What’s/where’s the craic?
- Deadly
Meaning: Brilliant, fantastic.
Example: That was a deadly film.
- Eat the head off
Meaning: To give out to someone.
Example: Don’t eat the head off me.
- Feck off
Meaning: Go away (polite version).
Example: Feck off, don’t be bothering me.
- Gawk
Meaning: To stare rudely.
Example: Stop gawking.
- Howya
Meaning: Hi, hello.
Example: Howya doin’?
- Knackered
Meaning: Exhausted, tired.
Example: I was completely knackered.
- Locked
Meaning: Very drunk.
Example: He was totally locked at closing time.
- Mortified
Meaning: Highly embarrassed.
Example: I was mortified when I realized my mistake.
- On the tear
Meaning: Going drinking.
Example: We were on the tear last night.
- Pictures
Meaning: Movies, film.
Example: We went to the pictures a week ago.
- Shattered
Meaning: Exhausted.
Example: After driving, I was shattered.
- Slag
Meaning: To make fun of someone in a nice way.
Example: He was only slagging you, don’t worry.
- Thick
Meaning: Extremely stupid.
Example: He is as thick as a plank.
- Trinners
Meaning: Trinity College Dublin.
Example: Did you go to Trinners to do your degree?
- Suckin’ diesel
Meaning: Now you’re talking, doing well.
Example: Now you are suckin’ diesel, my friend!
- The Pale
Meaning: Anywhere in the region of Dublin.
Example: I am living just outside The Pale.
- Scarlet
Meaning: Very embarrassed.
Example: I was scarlet.
- Savage
Meaning: Great, brilliant.
Example: It was a savage contest till the end.
- Rugger Bugger
Meaning: Someone posh, loud, and loves rugby.
Example: He is a rugger bugger for sure.
- Puss (To have a puss on you)
Meaning: Sulky face.
Example: Take that puss off your face.
- Throw shapes
Meaning: Show off, sometimes aggressively.
Example: They were all throwing shapes in the pub.
- Cute hoor
Meaning: A person who quietly engineers things to their advantage.
Example: He is a real cute hoor.
- Delira and extra
Meaning: Delighted and excited (Dublin slang).
Example: Are you delirious and excited about it?
- Donkey’s years
Meaning: For a very, very long time.
Example: They have lived there donkey’s years.
- Dosser
Meaning: Someone not working or messing about.
Example: They are a couple of dossers.
- Effin’ and blindin’
Meaning: Swearing and cursing.
Example: He was effin’ and blindin’ nonstop.
- Fair play!
Meaning: An acceptable response for many things.
Example: Fair play, mate!
- Feck off
Meaning: Go away (polite version) or used to show surprise.
Example: Feck off, don’t be bothering me.
- Fella
Meaning: Partner/husband/boyfriend.
Example: Is your fella going to be there?
- Fine thing
Meaning: Good-looking man or woman.
Example: That guy is a fine thing.
- Floozie
Meaning: Woman of dubious moral attributes.
Example: The place is full of floozies.
- Fluthered
Meaning: Very drunk; too many alcoholic drinks.
Example: I was absolutely flattered last night.
- Gaff
Meaning: Home; having a ‘free gaff’ means you are home alone.
Example: I will pop over to your gaff later.
- Gammy
Meaning: Crooked or odd-looking.
Example: He had a gammy leg.
- Gander
Meaning: Quick glance.
Example: Take a quick gander in here first.
So, next time someone asks, “How’s she cuttin’?” or you find yourself in need of a jo maxi, you’ll be ready to throw shapes with the best of them in the charming land of Ireland.
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